A Moments Reprieve
by Crazykennedy4
Summary: Clary and Jace sift through their feelings. Will Jace be able to save Clary when she needs him the most? Set after COA, before the group leaves for Idris. Please read and review! JACE X CLARY.
1. A Moments Reprieve

**~~~~~~~I AM NOT CASSANDRA CLARE! I DO NOT OWN THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS OR THESE CHARACTERS! THANKS. R&R plz.~~~~~**

Clary stood in the shower, letting the scorching water run over her, trying-and failing-to not think about all that had happened with Jace at Taki's the day before.

_"I'll just be your brother from now on."_

Jaces' sultry voice floated through her head before she could squelch it. That familiar pain shot through her heart, making her heart break and her eyes sting.

She blinked hard and begrudgingly turned the shower off with alittle too much force. Clary wrapped a white towel around her slender figure, exited Lukes now steamy bathroom and

headed toward the kitchen. She had taken her time in the shower, trying to relax her tense muscles and calm her anxious thoughts, to no avail-her heart was still heavy. She sighed

again and poured herself a cup of lukewarm coffee into her favourite rainbow-colored mug and stuck it in the microwave, setting it so it would be nice and steamy when the time

was up. She turned to go to her room to dress when she saw something flash in her peripheral vision. Clary gasped and spun to face the movement. Jace stood in the kitchen

doorway, dressed in black from head to toe, his eyes roving over Clary slowly, like he was enjoying the view. She suddenly became hyper aware of the fact that she was only

covered by a thin white towel. Clarys stomach fluttered, either in embarrassment or unfamiliar desire, she wasn't sure. She felt a sudden blush rise from the tips of her toes to the

top of her scalp but she attempted to cover her embarrassment and desire with attitude. "What are _you_ doing here?", she asked, but her embarrassment was made evident by her

breathless state and deep blush. _Darn,_ Clary thought, as she realized that Jace saw right through her failed attempt at bravado. Jace had a strange look in his eyes that Clary had

seen on some occassions when it was just the two of them. His eyes were deeply intense and gazing at Clary with unveiled desire, passion, and a large amount of amusement.

Quick as a flash of lightening, Jace was standing close in front of Clary, staring down into her eyes with that strange glint in his eyes. "Jace…?", Clary questioned. She could have

moved away from him, but her heart and legs wouldn't allow it. "Clary.", her name on his lips was the sweetest of sounds to Clary. "May I say that your wardrobe choices for today

are simply ravishing. I'll bet you a demon that the fashion designers in NYC will be copying your sense of style before long.", Jace said in a sacastic tone. Clary rolled her eyes but

blushed a deeper shade of red, making the look in Jaces eyes increase. "Jace. What is it?" He didn't answer her or even seem to hear her, but instead he reached up and gingerly

glided the palm of his hand from Clarys temple to her jawline, and back up again, causing a shiver of pleasure to race up Clarys spine. "Clary…", Jace sighed, pausing to look her in

the eyes for an immeasurable moment. He leaned forward, but paused, asking permission. As if moving in a dream, Clary raised up on her tip toes and shyly lifted her lips to Jaces,

sighing in pleasure and contentment when they made contact. This kiss was sweet and filled with so much-Love that was forbidden to be, passion, pain. Clarys back was up against

the cabinets, held prisoner there by Jace, but there was no where else in the world that she'd rather be. Her mind was screaming obscenties at her, yelling that she should run, that

she should be disgusted, but her heart held her there, her heart was happy. This was a moments reprieve, and her heart was happy for the first time in a long while.

**~~~~Thanks so much for reading!!! Reviews would be greatly appreciated, but try to be nice, I'm a newbie! :D~~~~**


	2. Reflections and Revelations

~~~I DO NOT OWN THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, OR THESE CHARACTERS, though I wish I did. :D~~~

**[]**

Jace sighed and opened his groggy eyes. Early morning light streamed through his curtained window, illuminating his small room with an almost eery glow. He squinted into the light as he stretched his sore muscles. The group was leaving for Idris today and his stomach fluttered in a mix of excitement and anxiety. His excitement was due to the fact that he couldn't wait to see Idris' beauty again. He hadn't been there since he was 10, all of his best-and worst-childhood memories had took place in Idris.

His anxiety could be defined in one word-Clary. His heart twisted around the name and the thought of her going to Idris. In a small way, he looked forward to showing her around, watching her beautiful face light up and her deep green eyes shine. But then the thought of Clary there, with Valentine ready to strike at any moment, made Jaces' stomach clench. He had never known fear until he had met Clary, now it seemed that fear for her well-being was a constant companion, always in the back of mind, silently nagging, never leaving. Jace sighed again, threw his covers off, and sat up so that his legs were hanging off the bed. He rubbed his face with his hands, as if trying to rub away his dark, frustrated thoughts. Almost without meaning to, Jace thought back on yesterday' events with Clary:

_Jace had been determined to make her see that she shouldn__'__t go to Idris, for her on protection. He had mentally prepared himself to battle it out with Clary, but all of that preparation had flown out of his head as he found Clary in the kitchen. She was making herself a cup of coffee when he saw her, but instead of making himself known, he had hung back, taking a moment to do what he had longed to do for so long-he watched. Clary was covered by only a thin, white towel. Jace__'__s heart sputtered, then sprinted in overtime. Her fiery red hair looked slightly damp, with rebellious curls spiraling around her heart-shaped face. Clary__'__s face held a slight blush, accentuating her luminous eyes. Before he had even known what he was doing, he had taken a step forward, making her gasp and spin toward him. They had stared at each other for an immeasurable minute, desire rising with each passing second. Jace had watched in amusement as Clary had tried to cover her embarrassment with attitude. __"__What are _you_ doing here?__" __ Jace could see right through her failed attempt at bravado. She blushed a deeper shade of red, making Jace fight the intense urge to kiss her and claim her as his on.__He, involuntarily, moved so that he was standing close in front of Clary. Jace gazed down at this girl, this girl who had made his warriors heart love, an emotion he never thought he was ever destined to feel. This girl had stolen his heart, completely without his consent. His little _sister._ Jace had mentally snarled the word, hating it with a intense passion. __"__Jace?__" __Clary__'__s soft voice had broken him of his reverie. Only then had he realized that he had been staring. __"__Clary.__" __ He had let all of his feelings for her linger in that one word. He had then tried to break the tension with a sarcastic remark, only making Clary__'s __blush increase, his forbidden desire with it. __"__Jace, what is it?__",__as an answer, he said her name again, almost as a sigh. Gently, Jace had moved his hand down the side of Clary__'__s face, relishing in the feel of her soft skin. He had leaned forward, but had waited for Clary__'__s reaction. A sweet thrill had shot through Jace when Clary had lifted her soft lips shyly up to meet his. Their kiss had held so much, but they had both relished in the moment. Allowing their lips to silently say what was never allowed to be spoken._

Luke had come home a few moments after that, making Jace and Clary once again have to pretend, but he didn't regret the kiss. He would do it again if he ever got the chance. Jace mentally shook himself of his daydreaming and walked over to his bag filled belongs that he was taking along with him to Idris. He had stayed up late the night before, thinking. Jace realized that Clary would not be persuaded into staying home from Idris, he would just have to protect her, at all costs.

~~~Please Review, but be nice! Thanks! :D~~~


	3. Authors Note:

**Authors Note:**

Hey guys!

I'm SO sorry I haven't updated in a bit but between having puemonia and trying to make up exams, I've been even more crazier than normal, which says alot. I've had a hard time writing a coherent sentence, much less a new chapter. :D Ha. I WILL be updating sometime this week. I PROMISE. To everyone who has added my story to their favorites lists, alerts list, or reviewed: Thank you SO much! You have all made my heart happy. :D I love you all.

**P.S. If you have any recommendations or anything you'd like to see happen in the next few chapters, just let me know and I'll try my best to fit it in somewhere. (I'll make sure to give you the credit for your idea.) I'd love the input!**


	4. Idris, Here We Come

**I do not own these characters or the Mortal Instruments, only this particular story. This is dedicated to my "sisters", Meghan and Nikki (Thanks for the help and ideas. I love you both. :D).**

**CPOV**

Clary gazed out of the taxi's raindrop-covered window and looked up at the gray sky, trying to regain her earlier composure. _'_

_STOP IT CLARY. DON'T BE STUPID. EVERYTHING WILL BE_ _FINE'_,Clary inwardly tried to calm herself, but to no avail. Despite what her mind told her, her heart refused to slow its fast pace.

A cold sweat glistened on her brow and her hands felt clamy, like if she tried to pick up her bags, they might just slide right off her fingertips. Today was the big day, the day she would

visit Idris for the first time. Her body thrummed with excitement but random thoughts of doubt plagued her mind, overwhelming her senses, and making her stomach churn in

uneasiness. Clary was afraid, afraid that she would do the wrong thing or say the wrong thing to the wrong person at the wrong time. She felt that there was alot of hidden customs

and meanings she was yet to find out about the shadowhunting world, and Clary desperately hoped she didn't slip up and so something wrong. Her moms life depended on her. The

thought brought with it that all too familiar feeling that the world was on her shoulders. Clary felt that if she messed up, her mothers blood would be on her hands and she would have

no one to blame but herself. Clary took a deep breath and tried to think back on the happier, simpler days, back when she was still ignorant of what was truly going on around her. She

smiled as she remembered how she and Simon would try to stay up all night when they were kids but failed miserably, falling asleep around 11:30. They would wake up in the morning

to find themselves tangled up in each others blankets that Clarys mom had thrown over them sometime in the middle of the night. They would laugh and follow the smell of food

coming from the kitchen, knowing that Jocelyn would have already made chocolate chip pancakes. Jocelyn and Luke would laugh as Simon and Clary played Rock-Paper-Scissors over

who would get the maple syrup first. Clary remembered ..."Hey missy, is this the place?", the cabbie half-yelled, interrupting Clary's reminscing. Only then did Clary realize that the cab

was stopped and parked in front of the institute. "Is this the place, or what?", yelled the driver. "Yeah! It is, and if you give me half a second, I'll be on my way!", Clary yelled right back

in the same snarky tone, her emotions were still running high, making her one to not mess with. She grabbed her bags and threw her money in the drivers face.

Clary found the group crowded around the lobby of the institute. Isabelle was lounging in the only chair in the room, filing her nails, Alec was talking to Jace, and Jace...Jace

was staring right at Clary with that strange look on his face again. Clary hadn't seen him since the day they'd kissed in Luke's kitchen, but the look he was giving her now made her

blush and made it very hard for Clary to act like a sister. She diverted her eyes to the floor and was about to make her way over to stand beside Isabelle when Max ran up to Clary,

almost yelling in his child-like enthusiam, "Clary! Clary! We're going to Idris! Can you believe it?!" Max had a smile on his face that streched from ear-to-ear, causing Clary to smile in

response. His excitement was almost tangible, and completely contagious. Clary laughed and was about to respond when Maryse and Robert appeared with Magnus not far behind.

"Oh good, Clary. You're here. Are we ready to go?", Maryse questioned, no emotion in her voice. Everyone nodded. Magnus strolled into the room with a fluid, graceful gait and came to

stand in front of the large, embellished full length mirror hanging on the wall. Clary glanced around, wondering what he was doing. Was he just going to stare in the mirror? Clary

watched in amazement as Magnus lifted his left hand up to the mirror, barely touching it. A blue spark suddenly shot out from Magnus' fingertips and penetrated the mirror. It seemed

as if the mirror suddenly came alive before Clary's eyes. Her eyes never left the mirror as it switched colors as quick as a strobe light. It never seemed to stay on any particular color for

long until it finally settled on a sort of multi-colored,swiraling appearance. It was mesmerizing. Clary didn't even know her mouth was hanging open until Jace whispered huskily in her

ear, "They say you can catch flies like that." Clary blushed and glanced at Jace, fighting the urge to stick her tongue out at him like a five year old. He was standing close beside her.

She could feel the warmth coming off of his skin, making Clary fight the intense urge to reach out and touch him. Clary sucked in a shaky breath, trying to clear her head. Jace smirked,

knowing full well how he affected her, and reached behind him to grab his bag. Clary sighed, and mentally shook herself, trying to focus on what Maryse was saying. "...can go first,

then Max, then Isabelle, then Clary, then the boys and Robert. Sound good to everyone?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Ok. Lets go." With that, Maryse step THROUGH the mirror.

Clary gasped and looked up to see Jace staring down at her. "Cool, huh?", Jace asked. All Clary could do was nod in response. Max ran up to the portal and jumped in without a

seconds hesiation. Isabelle grabed her bags and winked, "See you guys on the other side." She laughed as she took that step into the portal. Then it was Clarys turn. She hesitantly

took those few steps to the portal and looked back at Jace. He stared right back at her, looking as if he might be able to see right into her soul. Clary took a deep breath and locked

her jaw. She turned toward the portal and took that next step into the unknown. (I thought about stopping the chapter right here, but you all had to wait so long for this chapter so I thought I'd just go ahead continue.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Grr!" It was Clarys third time going through her back pack in search of her toothrush. "Come ON. I KNOW I packed you.", Clary mumured, then paused to question her sanity.

She was talking to the_ TOOTHBRUSH_. _'Wow. I'm going insane. Great.'_ Clary sighed and once again began her great search for her toothbrush. While she was searching she thought

back on the events of the day....

It had been twilight when Clary and the others had stepped throught the portal and into Idris. She was slightly disappointed, having hoped that she'd have enough light to see

what Idris looked like. But once she saw the house she'd be staying in, her disappointment quickly dispersed. The house could very well be termed as a mansion. The lightwoods were

kin to the family who owned the house, and Clary could tell they were all happy to be reunited. After introductions they all ate a meal surrounded by conversation and heafty laughter.

Clary was then lead up to the third floor, where she'd be staying. The room was beautiful, with light blue walls and two french doors leading out to a small balcony. Clary had been

standing out on the balcony when she heard a soft knock coming from the bedroom door. "Come in.", Clary called softly. She was surprised to see Maryse in the doorway. Clary was

about to speak but Maryse beat her to it. "Hello Clary. I didn't want to bother you but I just wanted to make sure you have everything you need." Clary couldn't quite keep the surprise

out of her voice."Oh, Thanks. I'm good. And you aren't bothering me. I wasn't really doing anything." Maryse nodded her head and turned to leave but just before she was about to

open the door she seemed to change her mind about something. She turned quickly and faced Clary once more. "Clary, I think what you are doing for your mom is very brave. Not many

children would go to the lengths that you are. Your mom will be proud. Goodnight." With that, she was gone.

Clary snapped out of her previous thoughts when her fingers curled around something that felt like her toothbrush. She almost screamed out "Aha!" when she pulled out her

toothbrush. She smiled in triumph. Now she could brush her teeth and go to sleep, finally. Clary was heading towards the bathroom when someone grabbed her from behind. A scream

of terror rose in her throat but it was muffled by a meaty hand roughly covering her mouth. She struggled, kicked, and bit the hand covering her mouth. The person behind her was

dragging her toward the open doors of the balcony. The light from the full moon cast an eery glow around the room, allowing Clary to see the silhouette of the person behind her. He

looked like a gaint. Clary grabbed her cell phone from her jacket pocket and was about to call jace using her speed dial when the gaint plucked it out of her hand with ease. He then

threw it on the floor and stomped on it with a loud crunch. Clary paused her struggles for a split second in shock. That second was all the gaint needed. Clary saw movement out of

the corner of her eye and something hit her--_HARD_. "Jace...help..", Clary tried to scream but her words came out slurred and barely above an audible whisper. With a searing pain

erupting in her head, Clarys' world went black. She was gone.

**Hey guys! Again, I'm sorry this took me so long to put up. **

** _If you have any ideas or requests for the next for the next few chapters PLEASE let me know. I'll give you the credit for your ideas. _**

**_Please read and review! I'd really appreciate it._**

**Be safe.**

**-Crazykennedy4**


	5. Nightmares become Reality

**I do not own these characters, just this story. The characters are Cassandra Clare's, the author of The Mortal Instruments.**

Jace sighed in contentment as he stepped into the heavy waterflow of the shower. It was sometime around 7:00 in the morning and he felt like he had had little to no sleep, though he was sure he had a couple of hours worth. He had had vivid dreams that all concerned Clary. His nightmares had left him gasping for air and drenched in sweat and almost had him running in to check on Clary in the middle of the night. He had stayed in his room all night, fighting the strange sense of urgency that plagued him. He blinked several times,and came back to the present. The water was scorching, precisely how he liked it.

He still couldn't believe they were in Idris. They had gotten in Idris around twilight, making it almost impossible to see how much it had changed, but one thing Jace _had_ noticed was the air. The air smelled the same-clean, pure, without dirty smog or annoying toxins that antagonized him in New York. He enjoyed taking deep breaths here. He had missed Idris' air and didn't even know it until last night when the group had been walking the streets of Idris on the way to the mansion. Clary had walked close beside him, taking it all in. Her eyes had become the size of saucers as she had looked on the mansion for the first time, he smiled at the memory. They had ate a bountiful supper, reaquainting with old friends and talking about different things. Jace had kept an attentive eye on his sister all night, making sure she was well looked after, and as comfortable as she could be in a room full of strangers in a city far away from anything she had ever known. She had eventually loosened up abit by the end of the night, actually talking to a boy who approached her. Jealously had enveloped Jace within seconds of seeing the look in the boys eyes. Jace was trying, and failing, to reel his jealousy in when he recognized the boy. It was Sebastian, a boy he'd barely known as a child. He'd changed alot over the years. The last time Jace had seen him, they'd been 7 or 8. They'd never gotten to be friends though. Their parents had slightly different views on life. That was an understatement. Valentine had different views than just about everyone known to mankind. The chatter eventually died out and fatigue won over, forcing everyone to seperate for the night. Jace nodded goodnight to Clary as she was lead up the stairway to her room. He was trying to act like the brother he should be, but his feelings for Clary couldn't be quenched by relation or the misfortune of similar blood. Jace knew he should be disgusted with himself, but he was tired of fighting it. He groaned and stepped out of the shower and onto the freezing, white tiled floor.

As his warm feet hit the frigid floor, he held in a hiss that threathened to escape his lips. Jace grabbed a dark blue towel that was folded up on the counter. After he was dry, he quickly put his jeans on and opened the bathroom door to leave. As he stepped into the hall he ran into something, rather, some_one _. "Ahhh!" The scared voice belonged to a female with long brown hair and thick, dark lashes surrounding brown eyes that were now looking up at Jace with an accusatory glare. "Jace Wayland, can't you at least give a girl some warning next time you try to kill me?", only then did Jace realize that he _did _know the girl. It was Aline, Sebastian's cousin. Jace decided to tease her. He hadn't teased a girl in so long, not since he'd gotten to know his _sister_. His mental Jace smirked in a devilish grin filled with mirth. Maybe it was time to try to move on, now would be the perfect time to practice his skills. "I wasn't trying to kill you, Aline. If I was trying to kill you, you would be dead." He smirked at her in a slightly seductive manner, knowing full well how it would affect her. Aline's eyes took on glazed over look and she gave him a small, shy smile. Jace turned to go but not before he heard Aline call after him with soft "See you later." Jace just nodded and headed to the guest room he and Alec were sharing.

Jace wondered if Isabelle, Alec, and Clary were awake yet, if they were, maybe they'd want to go sightseeing before they had to meet with the Clave this afternoon. He wanted to show Clary around, see her face light up, watch her fingers twitch in anticipation to get back to her sketchbook and draw the sight before her. Jace had made up his mind, after he got a shirt, he'd round up his friends and they'd go out while they could. He walked into the guest room to find Alec awake, shuffling around the room and getting dressed. "Hey." Alec's voice was thick with sleep and came out as a croak. Jace smirked and went to his bag to grab a shirt. Alec cleared his throat and turned away from Jace. Jace noticed that Alec kept glancing at him, then turning quickly away. Jace slipped a tight, plain black shirt on and decided to question him about it.

"What, Alec?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. What have you been up to?" Alec's voice was strained and his words came out too fast.

"You feeling ok? You're acting...weird"

"Oh, yeah. Never been better." Alec faked a smile. "What are your plans for the day?"

"I thought that maybe you, Isabelle, Clary, and I should all get out for the day. I thought that maybe we could show Clary around before we had to meet with the Clave later. What do you think?"

Alec smiled a real smile. "Sounds good to me. I'll go tell Isabelle and get her to get Clary moving, if she isn't already up."

Alec left and went in search of Isabelle. Jace walked over to the big window between his bed and Alec's and pulled the curtains back, letting in the early morning light. The sun had just gone up in Idris, illuminating the sky in vibrant pinks, oranges, and light blues. It was truly breathtaking. Jace had just begun to map out all the places he wanted to show Clary today when Alec walked back in the door. "Isabelle's going to get Clary now. When they are ready, they'll meet us here."

"Sounds like a plan."

Alec laid down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I can't believe we are here. It has been so long." Jace was about to voice his agreement when Isabelle burst in the door, looking frantic. "Jace! Something's happened to Clary." A sense of Dejavu hit Jace across the face in a strong wave, nearing bringing him to his knees. "What?!" Without waiting for an answer, Jace raced out of the room. His heart was racing and his stomach was in knots.

As Jace ran into Clary's room, a sense of desperation filled his being. The scene before him was exactly as it had been in his nightmare the night before. The broken lamp, jagged shards scattered over the floor. A few droppings of blood colored the otherwise beige carpet. Clary's purple toothbrush laid forgotten on the floor. Maryse and Robert were already in Clary's room. Robert was on the phone with someone, speaking heatedly. Jace couldn't manage to understand what he was saying. It all sounded like a hive of bees had invaded his ears. All he could hear was buzzing.

_STOP IT JACE. CLARY NEEDS YOU. YOU HAVE TO SAVE HER. YOUR HEART WON'T LET YOU LIVE IN A WORLD WITHOUT HER. PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, FOR CLARY, _Jace tried to give himself amental peptalk, and surprisingly, it helped clear his mind_._ Alec placed his hand on Jace's shoulder, offering support and, just this once, Jace allowed him to, just for a second then he shrugged him off. Jace was overcome with guilt. How had he allowed this to happen? He was supposed to protect her. What if, because of his lack of protection, he lost the only thing he had in the world? Maryse suddenly kneeled over something on the floor. She gasped and looked me straight in the eye.

"Valentine. Valentine has her."

**Thank you for taking the time to read. Please review and let know what you think. Suggestions for the next few chapters would be grand. **

**Love to all!**

**-Crazykennedy4**


	6. Fighter

**Hey guys. I'm so sorry I haven't updated sooner, but things have sort of hectic around here. Please forgive me. I know this Chapter isn't very long but I thought it may be more dramatic that way.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, Cassandra Clare does.**

Clary's POV.

The pain finally brought Clary back to awareness. Her entire body was throbbing, raw and completely unforgiving. Confusion attacked Clary's mind. _What happened to me?_ Then she remembered arriving in Idris, the big meaty gaint, her vain struggles to get free, and being hit over the head with something...a lamp maybe? With the realization, Clary became aware of the massive headache she now had. Clary groaned in pain before she could stop herself. "Looks like my Sleeping Beauty is awake"

Clary's eyes snapped open and turned her head toward the direction the dark, husky voice had come, and immediately regretted it. The small movement caused a sharp pain to shoot through Clary's head and down her spine, bringing tears to her eyes and a cry of pain to her lips. Someone chuckled darkly, clearly enjoying her pain more than they should. Once the pain began to ebb, Clary was able to get a good look at the man who had spoken. He was clearly 'the gaint' who had stolen her away. He was tall and brawny, and looked to be well into his twenties. He looked kind of like a body builder. He was in the darkest corner of the room, if you could call it a room. It was more like a cellar, with its smooth , gray stone floors and dim lighting. There was a large, dark door that had a small window in the top, allowing in a small amount of light. Clary suddenly wondered what Jace would do if the roles were reversed. But she already knew what he'd do. Jace would fight, and so would she.

Clary realized that she would never be able to get out of here alive without help. She didn't know if she would die in this horrid place, but she knew she wouldn't go down without one _heck_ of a fight.

**So...What do you think?**

**Any suggestions on what you want or think should happen next? Let me know.**

**Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, favorated, or subscribed! I love you all.**

**-Kennedy**


	7. Be Afraid

_I do not own these characters or The Mortal Instruments, though I kinda wish I did. I DO own this particular storyline though._

"Jace..." It was Alec. _Again_. "Look, will you just eat something?" His voice sounded different, haggard, worn, and strained under the stress of the day. Jace just shook his head and gave Alec one of those famous looks that wordlessly stated if-you-value-your-life-in-the-slightest-then-get-away-from-me-and-don't-come-back (_unless_ you have a death wish).

Alec's shoulders hunched as he unhurriedly walked out of the room. Jace knew Alec was worried about him, but Jace couldn't shake off his own chains of worry to concern himself with Alec right now. Jace had bigger concerns, like saving his sister from the hands of their devilishly insane father and his evil minions that could do God-knows-what to Clary.  
The thought of some tough-guy-wanna-be putting his grimy hands on _his_ Clary...he allowed the thought to trail off, leaving in its wake an anger that was undescribable and incredibly epic, even for Jace. A feral growl escaped Jace's lips and his sight clouded over with his rage. A thousand different way's he could hurt, mutilate, torture, incapitate, and dismember the person who dared to put a finger on HIS Clary flashed before his mental eye.

Jace groaned, stopped his involuntarily pacing, and opened the french doors leading out to the balcony with unneeded force, making the panes of glass in the doors shake and rattle from the disturbance. The pure air of Idris accosted Jace's senses yet did nothing to clear his restless mind. He hated this, hated that his sister needed him, yet he was stuck here, waiting. He knew he could leave without the claves permission but they would just drag him back, rendering any progress he made, but he hated feeling like this. He hated feeling worthless, helpless, hopeless. Jace longed to swooped down and protect Clary from the evil clutches that threathened her well being.

The day had been a slow torture for Jace. Maryse and Robert had helped organize an emergency meeting of several of the clave members, explaining to them in strained tones the predicament-that a shadowhunter child has been kidnapped by Valentine. Jace had managed to stay silent throughout the exchange, but with great effort. The room had remained eerily silent after Robert and Maryse had said their piece, as if the clave member's were soaking up the information and looking for wisdom as to how a solution could best be reached. The silence had almost been the undoing of Jace. He wanted action, and he wanted it now but before he could vocalize his protests, one elderly man broke the silence. With his old, raspy voice he had asked, "How do you know that it is Valentine that has taken possession of Clarissa?" Maryse had been the one to answer. "Because of this." And she had held out in her worn, calloused hands a ring. A ring with the Morgenstern coat of arms embellished on the front, as if it was pridefully displaying the fact that Clary had, indeed, been taken under Valentines orders. A gasp of horror had escaped the lips of many of the members present, and then Jace had seen it. Their indecision. At first glance, they, of course, would have sent warriors to retrieve the stolen child and punish the kidnappers. But that was before they knew that Clary had been taken under Valentines orders, before they realized that Clarissa was Valentines daughter. Once _that_ little fact was realized...they weren't near as eager to help get her back.

One whispered voice had stayed with Jace after the meetings parting words. One woman had whispered the words as she whispered heatedly with another as they departed the room in which the meeting was held in. Her words turned Jace's blood cold and made his hope titter on the brink, rang through his head repeatedly, tauntingly. _"The last thing the clave wants is to stir things up again with Valentine Morgenstern, and if that means sacrificing one seemingly insignifcant girl...well, then so be it." _It had taken all of his self control, and a restraining hand from Sebastion and Alec, not to pummel the unsuspecting woman back to the dust from which she came from.

The meeting had closed hours ago, but it felt like decades for Jace, who now clutched that Morgenstern ring in his left hand as he glared angrily up at the starry night sky of Idris. The Clave was supposed to contact them when the reached their final decision, but Jace had a inkling that he already knew what their decision would be and it did not bode well with him. At. all. If the Clave thought that Johnathan Morgenstern was going to sit back and allow his Clary, the girl that he promised himself he would protect, to be hurt, they were wrong.

Johnathan began to form a plan.

_Hey guys!_

_So sorry I haven't updated sooner. Maybe this helped you forgive me. _

_Anywho, please don't forget to review!_

_Lots of love darlings,_

_-Kennedy_


	8. Possession Revisted

_Hey, guys._

_Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has reviewed and added my story!! *Virtual hugs*_

_Ok...so you are probaly wondering who Han is well**...Han (pronounced Han like Jaun) is the "Gaint" that took Clary away for Valentine. **_

_Honestly, this chapter is just kind of a filler but I think it may answer some of the questions you may have. Enjoy._

**Han's POV**

I finally opened my eyes when the incessant knocking became too much for me to bear. I had been trying to ignore whoever it was at my door, but, _clearly_, they weren't getting the message. I growled and slid out of bed, not bothering to put on a shirt. I opened the door forcefully, making it bounce off of the wall behind it with a loud reverberately clamor. I slammed my fist against the door, making the person before me flinch with fear. I glared angrily down at him. "What. Do you want? Explain. _Now_." I practically snarled the distorted sentence at him, thoroughly enjoying seeing the petrified shiver race through his tiny frame. I could crush him easily, if I wanted to. Which I would, if he didn't have a darn good reason for waking me up so early.

"H-Han? Yes, I suppose you are, or Master wouldn't have sent me here to you. So...you _are_ Han, right?" The little guy looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in front of me, questioning me. I had to admit, it wasn't a safe position for him to be in. I hate people questioning me, anytime, but I especially hate it at 3:00 in the morning. So, yeah, he was in danger, and we both knew it. I didn't speak, allowing my silence as conformation to his annonying questions.

"Master Valentine sent me to you. He needs to meet with you. Immediately. He said you are to come with me."

I grunted for him to wait and slammed the door in his face. I replaced my worn sweat pants with jeans and a form-fitting black shirt. Stuffing my jacket with any weapons I may need, I left the complex with the small warlock, contemplating what my next assignment may be.

__________________________

"Wait here. I have to let Master know you have arrived."

The warlock scurried off and I paced, waiting impatiently. A few moments later the warlock return, telling me to follow him. I growled in frustration. I hated taking orders from warlocks. I hated warlocks, _period_.

I walked into a dimly lit room, pausing only when I saw the shadowed figure standing in front of the extravagant mantle, regarding the fire with an intense gaze. It was Valentine and his mind seemed preoccupied.

"Han. I have an assignment for you that I think you may enjoy." His voice was dark, husky. His eyes had still not left the fire. I tried to kept my voice from betraying my anticipation of a new assignment when I said, "Yes, Master? What would you like me to do?"

"My daughter is coming to Idris tomorrow night. I need you to retrieve her for me. At any means possible. Clarissa has many gifts that are of great value to our cause, and I have reason to use those gifts. If there is ever a mission that you will fail me, do not allow it to be this one." Valentine's eyes left the fire only to bore into me, chilling me to the bone and enhancing the meaning of his veiled threat. His eyes were cold, hard, an unforgiving black abyss that mirrored the state of his soul. I hurried to answer him, I'd do anything to get him to stop looking at me like that. It freaked me out. "Yes, Master." He turned back to look at the blazing fire in the hearth, filling me with relief.

After giving me some finer details on the matter, he dismissed me. I glanced back over my shoulder as I was leaving. His dark eyes were still transfixed on the fire.

______________________________

I knew where Clarissa would be staying when she arrived in Idris so now all I had to do was wait. I hate waiting. I lurked in the shadows of the trees outside of the mansion in which Clarissa would be soon arriving. I waited.

Darkness soon enveloped, allowing me to stretch my cramped muscles and rise once again back to my full height of 6'3''. As I stretched, I thought back on the last few moments...

_I had been crouching in a grove of tall bushes when the group had arrived to enter the Mansion. It had been twilight but with my light sensory rune I had been able to see well enough. There were exactly seven people walking towards the house. I'd spotted Clarissa almost immediately, her fiery red hair was like a beacon, pinpointing her out to me. She was my mission. Get her, get out, get to Valentine, and live, atleast for another day or two._

_Even from this distance, and with the fastly fading light, I could tell that she was beautiful, though not all of her features were clearly distinguishable in the twilight. One boy with blonde hair, dressed all in black, seemed to hover by her side protectively, almost as if he sensed the danger around them. I had chuckled darkly at the thought. They had no idea about how close danger was to them. That poor boy thought _he_ could protect Clarissa from _me_? I had scoffed at the impossibility of that thought. Let him try to stop me. She would be mine, I was sure of it. Let the blonde do his worse._

A gust of cold, pure Idris air ruffled the bushes behind me, bringing me back to the present. I needed to make a game plan, something to go by when the time arrived to take Clarissa. I figured that I would wait until everyone went to their respective beds for the night before I made my move. Hopefully no one would be rooming with Clarissa, but if someone was, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. I'd just have to kill them. I wonder if the blonde boy would be sharing a room with Clarissa. That would make things interesting. I would enjoy hurting the boy. Then, before he died, I'd allow him to see that his worse fear had come true, that he had failed in protecting the girl that he seemed to care about. But the thought of the blonde having his hands on _my_ Clarissa made my blood boil in unadulterated jealousy. She was _mine_. I would take her, and if I completed all of my missions that Valentine gave me...maybe he would give her to me. Yes, I believe he would. That dimmed my jealousy somewhat. But the Blonde _would_ pay, eventually, if not tonight. I would make sure of it.

___________________________

I could hear the ruckus from the dinner party finally begin to die down and I suddenly became more alert. I used my sensitive hearing to scan through the mansion, straining to hear of any sign of Clarissa. I listened in more carefully, trying to decipher where exactly she was.

"Are you sure this room is ok, Clary? We can always move you downstairs with Isabelle or Aline if you'd rather not be alone..." The nervous voice drifted off, waiting for a response.

"Oh, no! This is fine. I love this room. It's so beautiful. Thank you for having me." Clarissa's voice was soft and husky. I liked her voice. I was planning on hearing alot more of it.

Eventually the woman's voice floated away to the downstairs, leaving Clarissa alone in her room. Clarissa opened the French doors leading out onto the balcony. I stared up at her as she gazed dreamily at the full moon. She looked peaceful, content and she was even more beautiful than I had first thought. I began to move out of my place of hiding when I heard a faint knock at Clarissa's door. I growled in frustration. I didn't want to wait anylonger. I wanted to take Clarissa. _Now_. But I curbed my impatience and listened to Clarissa talk to another woman who had come to check on her.

After she left, I waited for a few more moments. When I heard no interruption, I slipped from my hiding place in the shadows and glided over to the stone wall. I made quick use of the stones, allowing them to be my foot and hand holds as I swiftly climbed. I was on Clarissa's balcony in a matter of seconds, sweating lightly from the excertion the climb cost me.

The full moon was the only light in her room, making Clarissa's red hair look like a shining halo, enhancing her mysterious quality. I would have her and she would be _mine_. She had not spotted me yet, but that was ok. I didn't want to rush this. I was enjoying myself. Her face suddenly lit up as she raised her hand in truimph. In her hand was a tootbrush that, apparantly, she had been looking for. As she turned to walk in the direction of her bathroom, I pounced. I wrapped my bulky arms around her tiny frame in a stone tight grip, crushing her body to mine. She tried to fight, tried to resist and I had to admit, she put up a good fight, better than I had expected from someone so small in stature. Clarissa tried to scream and I couldn't have that so I slammed my hand over her lips in an attempt to muffle her protests, all the while moving us both back towards the balcony. I felt her arm move underneath mine and I paused for a millisecond, long enough to see her pull out her pink cell phone. I plucked the unwanted object out of her tiny hand and crushed it with my right foot. This action seemed to shock her and she stopped fighting me for a split second. I used that second of hesitation for my advantage, reaching over and grabbing the lamp on the nightstand. I yanked it hard, causing the plug to snap in half and creating a loud popping noise as a bright blue spark flew out of the live end of the wire. I slammed the lamp over her head, making the lamp break into jagged slivers of broken porcelan. She whispered what sounded like a name then Clarissa went limp in my arms, her blood dripping onto the beige carpet in random splatters. I moved her so that she was only being carried on my left arm as I reached in my jeans pocket for the crest. Once I found it, I threw the heavy ring on the floor next to one of the larger spots of Clarissa's blood. Valentine wanted them to know that it was he who took Clarissa and there was nothing they could do to get her back. Valentine knew that the clave would not interfere on Clarissa's behalf. No one would dare to try and fan the flames of Valentines wrath by trying to take his daughter back. No, no one could save Clarissa now, she's all mine.

______________________________

Once we finally got back to the complex in which Valentine lived and worked, Clarissa's head had finally stopped bleeding. She was bruised and cut, but she would heal in time. Valentine came to look at his daughter when we arrived. He nodded, not seeming to care that she was hurt, and told me where to take her.

So here I sit now. Watching and waiting until Clarissa awakens. I can't help but to notice that even while unconcious and bruised, she is beautiful. I wonder how long it will take to make her mine, with Valentines blessing, of course. I wasn't stupid enough to make a move without his permission, that would be a death wish. I saw her move, just a small twitch of her hand. I waited and finally her eyelids fluttered open. Ah...my sleeping beauty had awakened from her slumber. My face contorted in a mischevious grin. This would be fun. For me.

**_Ok...So in Geometry, yesterday, I think it was, my best friend and I got bored and we made a character profile for Han._****_ None of this is for real, of course. Just for fun._**

**_Character: Han--pronounced Han like Jaun (or like Con with an H)._**

**_Physical Profile: -Scar above left in shape of flower, received from a water nymph _**

**_ -Pet iguana named Splenda_**

**_ -Has a gold tooth_**

**_ -One green and one brown eye_**

**_Again, he doesn't REALLY have a flower scar or a gold tooth, though I suppose he COULD have an iguana, if you would perfer it. Ha._**

Tell me what you think about this chapter. You like it? Yes, no, maybe?

Love to all.

-Kennedy.


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